The invention relates to image quality adjustments and more particularly, to progressive levels of copy quality adjustment in an image reproduction machine.
It is important in the operation of complex electronic equipment such as reproduction machines to maintain the quality of the finished copy sheets. To this end, machines often undergo periodic quality adjustments. It is also important for efficiency to reduce the time spent in monitoring and maintaining the machine operation. Quality adjustments can be initiated automatically in response to recognized conditions or can be manually initiated by service representatives. The need for quality adjustments becomes even more crucial in machines adapted for highlight color or full color reproductions. Such machines often require more extensive or more frequent analysis and correction to produce a quality color product.
It is known in prior art machines for the machine to cycle down in the middle of a reproduction job to initiate a needed copy quality adjustment. Often manual operator intervention is needed both to initiate the quality adjustment and to cycle up or return the machine from the adjustment phase to resume completing the reproduction job. This type of required operator attention is particularly inefficient. In addition, prior art machines often require operator intervention after the completion of a quality adjustment to initiate a new job demand. Also, in prior art machines, the machine may simply cycle down after completion of a job when a quality adjustment is needed and requires operator intervention initiation of the quality adjustment.
In the prior art, it is also known to be able to enter and store copying information in a reproduction machine. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,556 discloses a copying machine that allows for inputting copying instructions, means for temporary storage of these instructions, an interrupt mode that will let the operator input different copying instructions, a readout of the new instructions, and a means to return to the original mode settings once the interrupt is completed.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,880 assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, discloses a technique for pre-programming a reproduction machine for a plurality of complete jobs involving a variety of machine features and requirements using the operator console and touch sensitive screen display while the machine is still in the process of completing a previous job. In particular, while the machine is in operation, a job can be pre-programmed to simulate a plurality of features and subfeatures of the machine.
While quality adjustments are necessary to maintain machine quality standards, an efficient machine should tolerate only brief and limited machine downtime during the quality modifications. It would be desirable, therefore, to minimize the diagnostic time of service representatives as well as minimize the lack of machine productive output and operator machine attention during quality adjustments. It would also be desirable to be able to automatically initiate a quality adjustment as well as to be able to automatically resume operation, such as completion of the current job or initiation of the next job, after completion of the quality adjustment. It would also be desirable to be able to selectively delay or postpone a quality adjustment depending upon the nature of the quality adjustment needed and the pending jobs to be completed.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved technique to make quality adjustments and corrections in an imaging machine without extensive operator intervention. It is still another object of the present invention to be able to selectively schedule, with appropriate delay, if necessary, copy quality adjustments, dependent upon the nature of the adjustment required and pending job demands, and to be able to complete the quality adjustments and resume operation without operator intervention. Other advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features characterizing the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.